THREE amateurs from the North-East have secured an expenses paid trip to Morocco for the grand final of the 2016 Morocco Matchplay, powered by HowDidiDo - but others from the region missed out.

David Jenkinson, 52, a 14-handicapper who plays at Wearside, and 11-handicapper Kevin Bowman, 42, who plays at Roseberry Grange GC, finished third in the field at the Morocco Matchplay northern regional pairs final, at Slaley Hall to earn a place in February's final to be played in Marrakech.

Coachbuilder Neil Stein, 42, from Newton Aycliffe, a 13-handicap member at Ramside Hall, will be joining them on the flight after topping the leaderboard in the singles competition.

But the luck was not with the region’s other competitors who all missed out. Darlington's Paul Knight, a 45-year-old sheet-metal worker from Darlington, who plays off 16, could muster only 27 points in the singles, while Billingham's 58-year-old 12-handicapper David McNeill, an administrator from Fishburn, and retiree Dennis Wright, 66, from Billingham, who also plays off 12, finished third in the senior pairs to miss out by just one place.

In the pairs competition, Jason Budd and Shaun Brown, both members at Crook, finished in the middle of the field. Jenkinson, a karate sixth dan, said: "It's exciting to be going somewhere different like Morocco to play golf and I am over the moon - I went out and had a few drinks to celebrate. It only sunk in after I told my wife and daughter about it.

"On the course it was tough day weather wise but I liked the Priestman and we played with a couple of Scottish lads who were great company. I don't know what to expect in Morocco, except sunshine. But that's the beauty of it - going somewhere you have not been before, and not knowing what to expect."

His partner, Bowman - the former secretary and director of Roseberry Grange, near Chester-le-Street, said: "This is our first time in Africa and we hope to keep our form going because we've been golf partners for three years now and we are unbeaten in matchplay.

"In Turkey, two years ago we met two of the other players who qualified at Slaley this time - so it will be good to be on the same trip as them again. A trip to Morocco is magnificent after the season we had last year. David and myself got through to three regional finals of various tournaments and we just missed out going abroad by one place each time. This competition was one of them and we also just missed out on going to Turkey and Portugal.

"I don't have a clue what to expect when we get to Morocco, but the organisation of this competition has been excellent. All the communication has been spot on all the way through and everything has been explained very well. Any questions we have asked have always been well answered and the company has been great on the course. You can't fault the event."

Singles winner Stein was also, naturally, jubilant. He said: "Going to Morocco? Excellent, I can't believe it - it hasn't sunk in yet! This is the first time I have played in this competition and I have really enjoyed it.”